DALLAS (AP) — Captain Jamie Benn broke a scoreless tie 23 seconds into the second period of his 1,001st career game, and the Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Wednesday night.
Benn’s 20th goal on a perfect feed from 19-year-old rookie Wyatt Johnston started a three-goal second for the Western Conference-leading Stars.
Radek Faksa’s one-timer on a precision 2-on-1 pass from Tyler Seguin came five minutes later, and Jani Hakanpaa tipped in a shot from Roope Hintz midway through the period.
“We wanted to play faster all year,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “Typically that allows you in the second periods with the long change if you can play fast to catch teams, and I think we did that tonight.”
Joel Eriksson Ek scored on a power play to get Minnesota within 3-1 late in the second, and the Wild had Ryan Hartman’s goal just 30 seconds later called off for goalie interference against Jordan Greenway. Minnesota has lost five consecutive road games in regulation.
“We get a positive situation, score a goal at the end of the second period, (Greenway is) going to the net, trying to do all the right things, takes a route and the goalie just happens to be there,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “It’s the right call, but we need a break like that to go our way.”
